Method and apparatus for uniform operational access across multiple information systems
A method and apparatus for determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems designating by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems; storing the operational preferences for the user; accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
The present invention relates to operational access of multiple information systems that individually have different access operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONWithin a similar type of information systems, different manufacturers may have different access operations to obtain or remove the same information. For example, voice mail systems which are controlled either by voice commands or dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones have varying access operations between different manufacturers, and one manufacturer may not maintain a consistent set of access operations for generations of their voice mail systems. Initially, this was not a problem for the majority of people since most people had at most one voice mail system to interact with. Now with the proliferation of voice mail systems for residential wired lines, cellular/mobile telephone service, and business based voice messaging systems, the average person is faced with having to contend with three or more different voice mail systems on almost a daily basis. This requires the user to remember three different sets of operations to do even simple tasks. Other informational system types also suffer from this type of problem. The end result normally is that the user of these informational systems limits themselves to one or two different operations simply so that they don't have to memorize three different sets. This results in low efficiency of use of these informational systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA method and apparatus for determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems designating by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems; storing the operational preferences for the user; accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
A user can access the voice mail systems 108-111 via telephone sets 101-103. Within
The user establishes their preference information in database 114 by utilizing an input device such as personal computer 113 to tailor their operational preference information in database 114. In one embodiment, the information is stored in database 114 utilizing the expert markup language (XML).
Database 114 is shown to be one entity in
If the answer in decision block 204 is yes, block 207 accesses the database for the user's preferences. Decision block 208 then determines if the user's preferences were found within the database. If the answer is no, block 209 performs error recovery before transferring control back to decision block 202. If the answer in decision block 208 is yes, block 211 accesses the state table for the information system defining the user's preferences. Note, if the preferred information system is the information system executing
After execution of block 211, control is transferred to block 301 of
If the answer is no in decision block 303, decision block 304 determines if another preference command is needed according to the state table in order to result in a system command. If the answer is yes, control is transferred back to block 302. If the answer in decision block 304 is no, block 307 performs error recovery. It may well be that this particular information system does not provide the desired function that the user is attempting to actuate or the user may have simply made a mistake.
Returning to decision block 303, if the answer is yes, block 306 executes the resulting system command obtained from the state table. Finally, decision block 308 determines if the information request is done. For example, this can be the result of the user hanging up the telephone or by inputting an input which signals that the information request is over. If the answer in decision block 308 is no, control is transferred back to block 302. If the answer is yes, control is transferred back to decision block 202 of
Audio processing unit 506 performs the audio processing such as conversion of audio information to digital information and digital information to audio information. In addition, audio processing unit 506 also performs the conversion of DTMF signals being received from the switching system via switch 504. As is well known to those skilled in the art, audio processing unit 506 may comprise a plurality of digital signal processors for performing the audio processing task.
After being converted to digital form by audio processing unit 506, voice messages are stored in mass storage 507 under control of control computer 503. Control computer 503 can also utilize storage within mass storage 507 for other types of information. Interface 519 under control of control computer 503 provides an interface to database 114 such that control computer 503 can access and store information on database 114.
Switch 504 is responsible for both digital and audio information being received from the switching system to properly route this to the various subunits of audio processing unit 506 as well as to route switching information to control computer 503. The operation and construction of switch 504 is well known to those skilled in the art. The interconnection between the switching system and switch 504 may be a plurality of various types of telecommunication links as is well known in the art.
As was described with respect to the operations of
When the operations of an information system are implemented in software, it should be noted that the software can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this document, a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer related system or method. The information system can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. For example, the computer-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, for instance, via optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
In an alternative embodiment, where the information system is implemented in hardware, the information system can be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.
Of course, various changes and modifications to the illustrated embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art. These changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its intending advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims except insofar as limited by the prior art.
Claims
1. A method of determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems, comprising the steps of:
- designating by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems;
- storing the operational preferences for the user;
- accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and
- interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of designating comprises the steps of identifying the one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user; and
- specifying the other ones of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the steps of identifying and specifying use a telephone.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the steps of identifying and specifying use at least one of a personal computer or personal digital assistant.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing comprises the step of storing the operational preferences in a database.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of accessing comprises the step of obtaining the operational preferences from the database.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of accessing comprises the step of transmitting the operational preferences to the other telecommunication response systems by the database in response to the step of storing the operational preferences in the database.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accessing is performed each time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accessing is performed only a first time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
10. A method of determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems, comprising the steps of:
- designating on a device by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems;
- transmitting by the device the designation to the other ones of the telecommunication response systems;
- storing the operational preferences;
- accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and
- interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the device is at least one of a personal computer, telephone or personal digital assistant.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of designating comprises the steps of identifying the one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user; and
- specifying the other ones of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of accessing is performed each time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of accessing is performed only a first time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
15. A processor-readable medium for determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems, comprising processor-executable instructions configured:
- designating by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems;
- storing the operational preferences for the user;
- accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and
- interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
16. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the processor-readable medium for designating comprises processor-readable medium for identifying the one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user; and
- specifying the other ones of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user.
17. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the processor-readable medium for identifying and specifying use a telephone.
18. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the processor-readable medium for identifying and specifying use at least one of a personal computer or personal digital assistant.
19. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the processor-readable medium for storing comprises processor-readable medium for storing the operational preferences in a database.
20. The processor-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing comprises processor-readable medium for obtaining the operational preferences from the database.
21. The processor-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing comprises processor-readable medium for transmitting the operational preferences to the other telecommunication response systems by the database in response to the processor-readable medium for storing the operational preferences in the database.
22. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing is performed each time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
23. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing is performed only a first time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
24. A processor-readable medium of determining operational preferences for a user access to a plurality of telecommunication response systems, comprising processor-executable instructions configured:
- designating on a device by the user that user operations of one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems will be the operational preferences of the user for all of the plurality of telecommunication response systems;
- transmitting by the device the designation to the other ones of the telecommunication response systems;
- storing the operational preferences;
- accessing the stored operational preferences by a second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems for use in communicating with the user during interactions with the user by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems; and
- interpreting user operations by the second one of plurality of telecommunication response systems using the accessed operational preferences.
25. The processor-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the device is at least one of a personal computer, telephone or personal digital assistant.
26. The processor-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the processor-readable medium for designating comprises processor-readable medium for identifying the one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user; and
- specifying the other ones of the plurality of telecommunication response systems by the user.
27. The processor-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing is performed each time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
28. The processor-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the processor-readable medium for accessing is performed only a first time the user communicates with the second one of the plurality of telecommunication response systems.
29. Apparatus for implementing the steps of claim 1.
30. Apparatus for implementing the steps of claim 2.
31. Apparatus for implementing the steps of claim 8.
32. Apparatus for implementing the steps of claim 9.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 20, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 9, 2006
Patent Grant number: 7359495
Inventors: Kevin Chan (Ryde), Neil Hepworth (Artarmon), Melanie Smith (Balmain)
Application Number: 10/923,489
International Classification: H04M 11/00 (20060101);